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E604 Sapphire and Pearl Pendant in 18 karat Gold:

Mon, 09/03/2018 - 18:25 — pam

E604

This is a handmade Pendant with a circa date of 1860 to 1870. The setting is of 18 karat yellow gold which was lost wax method cast, one of a kind pendant. The setting holds ten natural Sapphires which are hand cut and handset. The cut is a round cut at 2.4 mm's each, also set are 18 natural ocean seed pearls at 2 mm each and a dangle of a freshwater elongated pearl.
This type of pendant was traditionally given as a wedding gift.

Sapphire Gemstone Information:
The sky is just a gigantic blue sapphire stone into which the earth is embedded – this belief was cherished in ancient times. In fact, does there exist a better image to describe the beauty of an immaculate sapphire of purest blue? This color, which is strongly associated with sapphire, is also linked to emotions such as sympathy and harmony, friendship and loyalty. These emotions belong to features, which are permanent and reliable – emotions where overwhelming and fiery passion is not the main element, but rather composure, mutual understanding, and unshakeable trust. In the Victorian Language of Gemstones Sapphires meant “Innocence”.
“Sapphires were used by the Romans for the development of greater trade with India, at the time of Emperor Trajan. “Sapphire- is the birthstone of September. The hardness of sapphires is 9 and they are considered a precious gemstone. A diamond is a hardness of 10, in comparison.

Pearl History:
Pearls, in fact, played the pivotal role at the most celebrated banquet in literature. To convince Rome that Egypt possessed a heritage and wealth that put it above conquest, Cleopatra wagered Marc Antony she could give the most expensive dinner in history. The Roman reclined as the queen sat with an empty plate and a goblet of wine (or vinegar). She crushed one large pearl of a pair of earrings, dissolved it in the liquid, and then drank it down. Astonished, Antony declined his dinner—the matching pearl—and admitted she had won. Pliny, the world's first gemologist, writes in his famous Natural History that the two pearls were worth an estimated 60 million sesterces, or 1,875,000 ounces of fine silver ($9,375,000 with silver at $5/ounce). In the Georgian time period and much earlier, finding a valuable pearl requires as much luck as skill. And in their quest for both pearls and mother-of-pearl, people have sometimes taken extraordinary measures. For many centuries, divers for marine pearls had to outmaneuver sharks and other dangers to locate the pearl oysters they hoped would contain natural pearls. The small seed pearl was desired by England and the Eastern United States.

This lovely pendant is 1 5/8 inches tall with the bale and 1 inch wide. Pendant and gems are in excellent condition, a new a new 14 karat gold chain is included.